Discussion Question 1

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Literacy in the Early Grades: A Successful Start for PreK-4 Readers and Writers Fifth Edition

Chapter 1

Becoming an Effective Teacher of Reading

Chapter 1 Learning Outcomes 1.1 Identify key characteristics of four different perspectives about learning

1.2 Explain what is meant by “a balanced approach” to instruction

1.3 Explain how and why teachers differentiate instruction

1.4 Describe how teachers link instruction and assessment

Theme 1: Learning and Learning to Read • This theme examines:

– The theoretical foundations of how students learn and learn to read

– How teachers create a community of learners – The four cueing systems students utilize when reading

and writing

Effective Teachers Are Knowledgeable About Learning • There are two theoretical orientations which dictate

characteristics of teaching and learning. Effective teachers adopt a realistic balance of both of these:

– Teacher-Centered ▪ Behaviorism

– Student-Centered ▪ Constructivism ▪ Sociolinguistics ▪ Information Processing

Behaviorism • Focuses on observable behaviors

• Teachers provide explicit instruction

• Reading is seen as a set of sequential, discrete skills and sub-skills where each must be taught and mastered before moving on to the next

• Behavior is controlled extrinsically with rewards and punishments

Constructivism • Learners are actively engaged in constructing new knowledge

while reflecting on background knowledge

• Learning occurs when students integrate new learning with prior knowledge

– Schema Theory - knowledge is organized into schemas where students assimilate and accommodate new learning

– Inquiry Learning - learning is collaborative; students ask questions, seek information, and create new knowledge

– Engagement Theory - engaged learners are intrinsically motivated, reach higher levels of achievement, and are confident they will reach their learning goals (self-efficacy)

Sociolinguistics • Language organizes thought

• Students should be encouraged to talk with classmates

• Instruction should be focused on the zone of proximal development

– Sociocultural Theory - reading and writing are social activities; reflect the culture and community of learners

– Situated Learning Theory - students learn through authentic and meaningful activities within a community of learners

– Critical Literacy - language and literacy are means for social action; students become agents for social change

Information Processing • Compares the mind to a computer

• Information moves through processing units from sensory register to short-term memory to long-term memory

• Reading and writing are related – Interactive Models - reading and writing are interactive,

meaning-making processes – Transactional Theory - a reader’s interpretation of the text

based on evidence in the text and background knowledge – Strategic Behaviors - goal-oriented processes which direct a

reader’s thinking; monitoring one’s own reading; metacognition

Effective Teachers Create a Community of Learners • The classroom community is an environment which

strongly influences the learning taking place

• Effective teachers promote a classroom community which includes

– safety, respect, high expectations, risk-taking, collaboration, choice, and family involvement

• Effective teachers create a classroom culture by establishing procedures and routines early in the school year

– teachers are classroom managers – the environment is predictable

Effective Teachers Support Use of the Cueing Systems • English involves four cueing systems to create meaning; good readers

employ a balance of all four cueing systems: – The phonological system

▪ 44 phonemes and 26 graphemes; readers learn sound/symbol correspondences and apply in decoding and spelling

– The syntactic system ▪ The structural organization of English; grammar rules governing

word order in sentences – The semantic system

▪ The meaning-making system; vocabulary is the key component of this system

– The pragmatic system ▪ Social and cultural uses of language; dependent upon purpose and

audience

Theme 2: Effective Reading Instruction • This theme examines:

– The components of a balanced literacy program – The levels of support when scaffolding students’

reading and writing – The various approaches to organizing literacy

instruction in order to achieve balance

Effective Teachers Adopt a Balanced Approach to Instruction • Balanced literacy is a comprehensive view combining explicit

instruction, guided practice, collaborative learning, and independent practice; instruction should be developmentally appropriate and include the core elements of reading and writing

– Characteristics of balanced literacy programs include explicit instruction, authentic application, reading and writing strategies, oral language, and tools for learning

• Creating a balance is a complex process including all of literacy’s conceptual and contextual processes

– PK-4th balanced literacy instructional programs include reading, phonemic awareness and phonics, literacy strategies and skills, vocabulary, comprehension, literature, content-area study, oral language, writing, and spelling

Effective Teachers Scaffold Students’ Reading and Writing • Effective teachers vary the level of support they provide based on the purpose

and the individual student’s needs

• The levels of support range from modeled to interactive to independent based on Pearson and Gallagher’s model of gradual release of responsibility and include:

– Modeled reading and writing - teachers provide the greatest amount of support

– Shared reading and writing - teachers share the tasks with students – Interactive reading and writing - students are actively involved in reading

and writing while teachers provide assistance when needed – Guided reading and writing - students do the reading and writing with the

support of teachers only when needed – Independent reading and writing - students read and write while applying

skills and strategies in authentic texts

Effective Teachers Organize for Literacy Instruction • Teachers must organize literacy instruction based on student

needs and grade-level standards in order to create a balanced literacy program

• Instructional programs should: – create a community of learners – incorporate the components of balanced literacy – combine components of various approaches – scaffold students’ reading and writing experiences

• Five popular organizational approaches include: – guided reading, basal reading programs, literature focus

units, literature circles, and reading and writing workshops

Guided Reading • Small group instruction with students who read at the

same proficiency level

• Approximately 20 minutes daily

• Personalized to meet students’ needs

• Comprehension is main goal

• Word identification skills are also taught

• Students apply skills and strategies in instructional level text

• Other students work independently or at literacy centers

Basal Reading Programs • Commercially produced textbooks with grade-level reading

selections

• Accompanied by workbooks, supplemental texts, digital components

• Teacher’s guide provides detailed descriptions of procedures

• Includes main story selections and skills and strategy instruction

• Primarily whole group

• Tests to monitor progress

Literature Focus Units • High-quality children’s literature

• Award-winning picture books or novels

• Whole group - everyone reads and responds to the same book

• Teachers provide support through explicit instruction and authentic reading and writing activities

• Students learn about genres and authors and develop an interest in literature

Literature Circles • Small group “book clubs” read the same book

• Teacher selects multiple books at various reading levels

• Book selections may share a common theme or author

• Teacher provides book talk and students select a book and form a group to read and respond

• Groups work independently, following discussion guidelines and roles

• Teacher may sit in on discussions

Reading and Writing Workshop • Independent reading and writing

• Students select books, read independently, and conference with teacher to discuss their reading

• Students write books on topics of their choice and conference with teacher to discuss their writing

• Minilessons are developed as a result of conferences and student needs

• Teachers read aloud to whole group, modeling fluency and good reader behaviors

Theme 3: Adjusting Instruction to Meet Students’ Needs • This theme examines:

– how effective teachers differentiate instruction based on student needs

– how to effectively teach reading to English learners – the importance of partnering with parents – intervention programs

Effective Teachers Differentiate Instruction • Teachers must provide instruction that meets the needs of all

students

• Differentiation is based on Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development model and is neither too easy nor too difficult

• When differentiating instruction, teachers personalize the content, process, and products

• When teaching English learners, teachers adapt learning to meet students’ needs and scaffold literacy development

• Parent partnerships are crucial to student success. Teachers should respect the literacy activities of families, reach out to families in new ways, and build parents’ knowledge of literacy procedures

Interventions • Assessment results identify students who need additional support in

reading and writing

• Interventions are provided in addition to the regular classroom instruction, not in place of

• Teachers and specialists provide intensive instruction to individuals or small groups of 2-3 students

• Early intervention is critical to students’ later reading success

• Federally funded intervention programs were designed to prevent literacy problems and break the cycle of poverty

• Response To Intervention (RTI) is a 3-tiered intervention program ranging from screening and prevention to early intervention to intensive intervention

Theme 4: Linking Assessment to Instruction Planning • This theme examines:

– how effective teachers monitor student learning and adjust instruction accordingly

– various ways to assess student learning – the instruction-assessment cycle

Effective Teachers Link Instruction and Assessment • Assessment is integral to teaching and learning

• Classroom assessments occur daily and are an ongoing process

• Teachers collect and analyze data to: – determine reading levels – monitor progress – diagnose strengths and weaknesses – document learning

The Instruction-Assessment Cycle • Teachers link assessment data to instruction using a four-step cycle:

– Planning – Monitoring – Evaluating – Reflecting

• Teachers use various assessment tools, both formal and informal, to document learning and support instruction

– observations, running records, work samples, conferences, checklists, and rubrics

• Standardized tests are used to document learning from one year to the next, but are less informative than classroom assessments when planning, monitoring, evaluating, and reflecting

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